MUSIC REVIEWS

The Daniel Bennett Group offers one inspiring answer to what it means to own someone else’s song across the seven tracks of The Deconstructed Songbook, his latest project and arguably his most ambitious. The source material spans several decades and genres, Wes Montgomery, Horace Silver, Sam Rivers, Joni Mitchell, Harold Arlen, …

On Embers, guitarist and composer Ian C. Bouras delivers something increasingly rare in modern music culture: a work that demands surrender rather than multitasking. Clocking in at just over 50 minutes as a single uninterrupted instrumental composition, Embers unfolds less like an album and more like an environmental experience—one that …

Tony Kamel’s latest album release is the live entry “Live from the Bunker”, eschewing overtly slick production value for a decidedly scaled back, straightforward sound accompanied by Kamel’s signature, slightly caustic vocals. As far as indie acts go, Kamel is one of the more exciting to have come across my …

Little Muddy once again proves that instrumental music can tell vivid stories without uttering a single word. Their latest release, Simmer To Boil, is a colorful, adventurous album that blends cinematic atmosphere, world influences, rock energy, and exceptional musicianship into one highly engaging journey. Guided by guitarist, songwriter, and co-producer Rich …

“Summer Before The Fall” drops on the world as something quietly powerful, a great country duet that transforms the final golden stretch of summer into an emotional reckoning, delivered with striking sincerity by Chris Chitsey and Bee Smith. The song doesn’t simply document a season; it captures the particular weight …

Deer Fellow is a unique music project calling to mind some of my favorite acts, Down Like Silver and Bon Iver coming to mind. The duo behind Deer Fellow hail from Austin, Texas, which seems only fitting given the Bon Iver reference, along with the alternative pop sound they embrace …

Hecojeni is one of those new musical acts that’s genuinely exciting in an era dominated by electronica, catchy hooks, and soulless melodies. They’re semi-acoustic, straightforward, and have this genuine desire to entertain. Their new single, titled Riding the Merry Go, continues this tradition. The song is stripped down to bare …

Fred Presley is emerging as a formidable presence in the folk, country, and bluegrass-adjacent music scenes. It’s exciting to see an artist rise who doesn’t feel referential, firmly carves their own path courtesy of sheer merit, and produces music that balances the contemporary liking of entertainment value and quality being …

Jim Duff’s new musical project is titled More than Love, a sort of auditory love letter to times of old, a sense of community oft lost, and a sense of almost melancholic nostalgia. Listening to a Duff record doesn’t qualify as an easy listen, but rather firmly planting you in …

The Grunions are back with their edgy, distinctive, sometimes lo-fi album Chrono Echo. Listening to these guys conjures up memories of some of the countercultural greats of the seventies, acts like The Band coming to mind. The differences is The Grunions specialize in instrumental music. The result is a record …